CAERPHILLY may be the club that Wales has forgotten, but Swansea will remember that this season they have twice been beaten by the Cheesemen.

Provincial rugby borders Caerphilly on three sides yet the side appears continually ignored by the Blues, Warriors and Dragons.

But the club, who were in a European final only last year, fights on and were rewarded for their efforts by leap-frogging both Swansea and Cross Keys to take a respectable seventh place in the Premier Division.

Behind 7-16, Caerphilly clawed it back as Stuart Thomas, who started at centre, switched to full-back and finished as fly-half, kicked a penalty.

Then came the master-stroke as the home coaches sent on Tongan Siope (call me 'Joe') Polutele for Lee Howells at flanker in 56 minutes and he scored under the posts in the 75th minute for Thomas to convert.

Former Caerphilly and Wales centre Roger Bidgood, now the backs' coach, said, "The substitutions that we made played a big part in the final result and gave the club its first-ever double over Swansea.

"Stuart Thomas looked dangerous every time he touched the ball and flanker Steve Gardner was again absolutely outstanding and played an important factor in the game."

Bidgood's pleasure was also felt by forwards' coach Paul Yardley, who stated, "It was a win-or-lose situation in the second half and I threw caution to the wind. I thought 'Let's see what Joe can do' as I had never seen him play before.

"All I knew was that he would be a typical South-Sea Islander. For the last eight minutes we dug in showed we could defend as the guys stuck to their guns."

Polutele, cousin of hooker Feao Vunipola, had his moment when Caerphilly won a line-out, Scott Heddington sent it to Thomas, who passed to Roddy Boobyer, who took it to a maul. After several forwards tried, it fell to big Joe and the Tongan dived over in delight.